First Teams net a dozen goals in 9-2 and 3-0 victories to open two-day trip; face South Sound on Sunday

The Shadow Men’s and Women’s teams had plenty to enjoy Saturday evening on the peninsula following a pair of convincing victories over the host Olympic Force. The ladies moved to 3-0 on the season with another large victory, scoring four in the first half en route to a 9-2 result. The men ended their goal-less status and earned their first win of the campaign with a 3-0 victory.

Shadow WFT 9 :: 2 Olympic Force

The Shadow women got the ball rolling early with a goal nine minutes into the contest when Kasey Rubosky connected with Sarah Cox, who fired from the left side of the box and saw the shot go in despite a partial save attempt. Seven minutes later Marissa Mykines delivered a well-driven corner from the left side that Megan Lindsay buried with a header.

Tiara Pittman-Thomas then took the spotlight, scoring back-to-back goals. Cox connected with her for the first in the 30th and then she dribbled in all on her own three minutes later to make it a four-goal margin, though the hosts got on the board in the 39th through Michaela Wallitner.

A great team goal kept things going just two minutes into the second half when Karley Baggerly (pictured above) fed Kellie Zakrzewski, who in turn set up Tasha Luu for an easy finish for goal number five. Luu then turned provider in the 57th when she sent a nice cross from the left side that Baggerly nodded home. Luu notched a second goal in the 65th on a fluke play when a rebound left the Olympic keeper stranded well out of goal, allowing her to chip the ball over her easily for the seventh tally.

Wallitner scored again in the 75th for the hosts, but Baggerly again got on the board two minute later when she put away a cross from Tiara Pittman-Thomas. Baggerly created her own goal to cap the scoring, stealing the ball in the 82nd minute and putting it away to make it 9-2.

After a scoreless draw at Yakima in the season opener and a 3-0 home loss a week ago, the two-time league champion Shadow were looking to get their first goal of the campaign. They nearly had it in the 39th when Zach Hamer drove to goal, but his shot missed the right post by inches.

A minute later, however, Trevan Estrellado was taken down in the outer right corner of the box, sending the Shadow to the spot. Michael Malloy (pictured above) buried in the right side to end the drought. In the 58th minute it was Malloy fouled in the box, going down in nearly the same location at the other end of the pitch. His Northwest Nazarene teammate Fernando Alvarez converted from the spot to double the advantage.

Shortly after the second goal Tony Watters made a pair of nice back-to-back reaction saves on shots from inside the six that highlighted a quality outing in front of the pipes.

Having had the better of play much of the contest, the Shadow continued to look for a third to grab complete control. They put the match out of reach with about five minutes left when a corner from Connor Ourada was headed in by Alvarez from the top of the six.

After playing their doubleheader versus South Sound on Sunday – WFT at 1:00 and MFT at 4:00 at Harry Lang Stadium - the Shadow First Teams will be idle the following weekend. They return to action at home Saturday, May 28 on SYSA Night. All youth players from the Shadow’s partner organization receive free entry if they wear their SYSA jersey.